EPA Scraps GHG-Only Permit Mandate But Leaves Option Open To States

摘要

In the wake of the Supreme Court ruling scrapping the basis for EPA's greenhouse gas (GHG) permit rule, EPA will allow states to retain GHG-only requirements while withholding federal enforcement against facilities that would have needed permits based solely on their GHG emissions - creating potentially differing approaches to GHG permitting. "We do not read the Supreme Court decision to preclude states from retaining permitting requirements for sources of GHG emissions that apply independently under state law even where those requirements are no longer required under federal law," EPA air chief Janet McCabe and enforcement chief Cynthia Giles wrote in a July 24 memo outlining "next steps" for the agency's GHG permit program. Relevant documents are available on InsideEPA.com. Seepage 2 for details.